Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the way a person becomes a Peace Commissioner. [18000/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Peace Commissioners are appointed by the Minister pursuant to section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924. The Office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary appointment for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services.

An application for appointment may be submitted by a person on their own behalf or a third party may submit a nomination in respect of a person considered suitable for appointment. Appointees are required to be of good character and they are usually well established in their local communities. Persons, who are members of professions engaged in legal work and members of the clergy are, as a matter of practice, not appointed because of their occupation. Civil servants are usually only appointed where it is a requirement for the performance of their official duties i.e. on an ex-officio basis. Persons convicted of serious offences are considered unsuitable for appointment.

The fact that an applicant or nominee may be suitable for appointment does not in itself provide any entitlement to appointment as these are made at the discretion of the Minister and with regard to the needs of particular areas.